Roblox Studio Head: Play-to-Earn Isn’t Child Labor, It’s a Gift – IGN
Roblox Studio Head: Play-to-Earn Isn't Child Labor, It's a Gift IGN
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Roblox Studio Head Addresses Accusations of Young Developer Exploitation
Roblox Studio head Stefano Corazza has opened up about accusations of young developer exploitation on its platform, saying that the opportunity Roblox gives its teenage creators is “a gift.”
Roblox’s In-Game Development Tools
Roblox has had in-game development tools via its Studio feature for a while, offering users the chance to create entire games that can then be published for other players and monetized. It all takes place within Roblox itself, streamlining the experience for creators and giving Roblox a cut of the profits.
The Roblox creator website encourages users to “make anything you can imagine,” enticing would-be developers with the promise that experiences can be published instantly to more than 66.1 million other users across the globe. It adds that there are currently more than 3.1 million Roblox developers.
Addressing Accusations of Exploitation
The Roblox name has long been associated with a younger player base, and many have accused Corazza and his team of taking advantage of children who use the platform to create games. The studio head attempted to shut down these claims during an interview with Eurogamer by explaining why their creation tools aren’t exploiting child labor.
“I don’t know, you can say this for a lot of things, right?” Corazza explained. “Like, you can say, ‘Okay, we are exploiting, you know, child labour,’ right? Or, you can say: we are offering people anywhere in the world the capability to get a job, and even like an income. So, I can be like 15 years old, in Indonesia, living in a slum, and then now, with just a laptop, I can create something, make money and then sustain my life.”
He continued: “There’s always the flip side of that, when you go broad and democratised – and in this case, also with a younger audience. I mean, our average game developer is in their 20s. But of course, there’s people that are teenagers – and we have hired some teenagers that had millions of players on the platform.”
The Benefits of Roblox Studio for Teenage Creators
Corazza elaborated, declaring the benefits Roblox Studio offers its more creative teenage users. He even says that the money the studio gives its creators every year is nearing $1 billion.
“For them, you know, hearing from their experience, they didn’t feel like they were exploited! They felt like, ‘Oh my god, this was the biggest gift, all of a sudden I could create something, I had millions of users, I made so much money I could retire.’ So, I focus more on the amount of money that we distribute every year to creators, which is now getting close to like a billion dollars, which is phenomenal.”
Roblox’s Response and Sustainable Development Goals
A Roblox PR representative clarified with Eurogamer that “the vast majority of people that are earning money on Roblox are over the age of 18.” It’s unclear how many creators are under 18 or exactly how much money they are bringing in for themselves and the Roblox company. A representative sent the following statement to IGN, which we have reprinted in full.
Roblox’s Creator Community and Sustainable Development
- The Roblox platform serves a broad community of creators
- People of all ages and backgrounds start creating on Roblox for many different reasons – to learn to code, to share their creations with friends, or simply for the joy of building
- For many, using Roblox to build a game or virtual experience or virtual item is a form of creative expression
- Roblox is also an educational tool and education has been part of the company’s DNA since day one
- Today, educators around the world harness the platform to create immersive learning experiences that inspire creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking
- A recent survey found that the primary motivator for most creators on Roblox is having fun, not monetary gain
- Roblox offers a unique value proposition for monetization, leveling the playing field for developers by offering frictionless infrastructure, global distribution, and development technologies at low upfront cost
- In 2023, Roblox delivered more than $741 million to the creator community through the DevEx program
- The majority of monetizing developers and creators are over the age of 18
- In 2023, more than 90% of the top 1,000 experiences by hours engaged in were owned by developers who were at least 18 years old
The representative also sent a link to a blog about supporting creators in the Roblox community.
About Rob
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 1: No Poverty
- SDG 4: Quality Education
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
The issues highlighted in the article are connected to these SDGs because they involve poverty reduction, education, economic opportunities, reducing inequalities, and creating sustainable communities.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular, the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership, and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology, and financial services, including microfinance.
- SDG 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship.
- SDG 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
- SDG 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.
- SDG 11.3: By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated, and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries.
Based on the article’s content, these specific targets are relevant to the issues discussed.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
Yes, the following indicators can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:
- Number of youth and adults with relevant skills for employment and entrepreneurship
- Percentage of population with access to financial services, including microfinance
- Percentage of youth and adults employed in decent work
- Percentage of population with equal rights to economic resources and access to basic services
- Percentage of population living in inclusive and sustainable communities
These indicators can help track the progress made in achieving the identified targets.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 1: No Poverty | 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular, the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership, and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology, and financial services, including microfinance. | – Percentage of population with access to financial services, including microfinance |
| SDG 4: Quality Education | 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship. | – Number of youth and adults with relevant skills for employment and entrepreneurship |
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value. | – Percentage of youth and adults employed in decent work |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status. | – Percentage of population with equal rights to economic resources and access to basic services |
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | 11.3: By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated, and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries. | – Percentage of population living in inclusive and sustainable communities |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: ign.com
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